


Till the end of the line

by Alexei2020



Series: The lives of Bucky and Peter [1]
Category: Marvel
Genre: Fights, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Hydra (Marvel), I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Not Beta Read, Peter Parker isn't Spider-Man, Protective Peter Parker, Rescue Missions, Secret Identity, Secret Relationship, War, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:00:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24024718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexei2020/pseuds/Alexei2020
Summary: The shadowed booth in the dark corner are hosting a single soul. A quiet young man, sipping his golden drink in peace, taking in all the sounds and lights, eyeing all the soldiers enjoying their last night out before shipping off to the disasters across the sea.He's not one of them. He would like to be. He would love to serve his country, help these men get back home to their families. Make sure his own family gets back home. His friends. His partner.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Peter Parker
Series: The lives of Bucky and Peter [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733041
Kudos: 85





	Till the end of the line

  
The music hums softly through the bar. People are cheering, laughing and clinking their beers, pool balls shuffling over the green table. Paper bills switching owners faster than the bartender can refill the glasses. 

The shadowed booth in the dark corner are hosting a single soul. A quiet young man, sipping his golden drink in peace, taking in all the sounds and lights, eyeing all the soldiers enjoying their last night out before shipping off to the disasters across the sea. 

He's not one of them. He would like to be. He would love to serve his country, help these men get back home to their families. Make sure his own family gets back home. His friends. His partner. 

He knows his powers could help. He could be valuable to a team out there. He could save a lot of people. But he also knows the risks. The danger he would put his team in if the enemy went for him. If they found out about the things he could do. 

So he's stuck. He stays in the shadows, patrols the alleys through the rooftops. Makes sure the civilians in his city stays safe. At least he can do that. Taking care of the little guy while his not-so-scrawny-friend Steve is out playing hero of the world and his secret partner is saving the world one enemy base at the time.

He hasn't talked to either one in months. Steve's photo is in every newspaper, on every billboard. Captain America they call him. Good for him. If only they let him do actual hero work. He deserves that. His partner, James - Bucky - was sent off six months ago. He got a letter 4 months ago, and nothing since. 

_Till the end of the line_ ,

they told each other. Before James was sent off. Nothing could separate them. It may not be acceptable for two men to love each other like they do. But they have never been known to stick to the rules anyway. They share an apartment with steve as roommates, go out together as friends. They're the power trio amongst their favourite spots. 

His local crime fighting helps the gnawing feeling that something is terribly wrong. He knows it can be rough out there. He knows it's not always possible to send messages home. But his senses, his sixth sense is nagging at the back of his head constantly, telling him that something has happened. 

He feels so hopeless. So helpless. So lonely. And no amount of quips and smart comebacks while fighting purse snatchers, rapists and robbers can rid him off this misery. He wants so badly to go over there. Find him. Search every base and city and forest if he has to. 

He tells himself to wait. One more month. And then he's going after him. The city of New York can handle itself. It's not worth saving if James is no longer there with him. 

The bar erupts in a mix of cheers and angry shouts. Betting against the odds tends to do that, and the fight will start in three - two - one... the young man lifts his glass to give room for the man crashing into his table. He downs the rest of his drink as he stands, elegantly maneuvering around the fists and boots flying around him. His empty beer is placed on the bar, slim fingers grabbing a misplaced arm. He twists it around, sending the owner to the ground before he grabs the ancle of the opponent on his way back up. A silky web shoots from his wrists, keeping all the angry soldiers stuck to the floor. He nods once to the bartender and walks into the streets. Forever grateful for the hat and dim lighting, shielding his face from recognition in the cold spring evening. 

___

He doesn't need a month. Ten days after the bar fight he meets up with Steve. Tall, muscular and bruised. He just heard that Bucky was presumed dead. Missing on duty. A mission gone wrong. The whole team is gone. And Steve is determined to go look for him. 

And then it doesn't matter what the enemy might think of his powers. He's shaking, gritting his teeth. Eyes wide, threatening to shed terrified, angry tears. This is not happening. He's supposed to come home. Safe. In one piece. They're supposed to go to Coney island and celebrate when the war is over. This is wrong. So, so terribly wrong.

But if steve is going after him... so is he. Bucky is their friend. There's no power trio if there's only two left. He knows how to hide in shadows. Keep in the dark. Following the great Captain America across the ocean is certainly not the hardest thing he's ever done. Keeping his relationship hidden from everyone outranks that one easily. Keeping his powers safe from the wrong hands trumps it by landslide.

Next stop, France. 

Being able to stick to walls and defying gravity sure is a good thing when stuck on a ship with a thousand eager soldiers. No one ever looks up. A spare uniform as camouflage, free meals and... spiders don't like water. 

Waves and moving floors is making his insides wanting to escape. How do people run in these conditions? Sleep? Eat? These weeks are going to be hell. Finding Bucky, fighting a powerful enemy, it sure is gonna be easier than staying alive on this thing. When he finds his partner, they're going to have a serious talk about migrating to a place on earth without having to cross another ocean.

___

A base in the forest makes a great resting point. A treetop above gives perfect overview. Enhanced hearing giving him all the information he needs about his mission. His webs able to create quite a comfy little nest. Finally some rest, recovering from the slight swaying still present in his body after that awful sea voyage. 

But it also gives room for thinking. Memories flooding his mind. James' bright smile. His gleaming blue eyes. The soft dark hair. His booming laugh erupting every bad joke. His gentle touch when his thumb strokes his cheek. The strong, warm arms keeping him safe from nightmares. The loving kisses wishing him a good day. The childish pillow fights. Tag around their apartment. Happiness. Love. 

The tears flow freely down the young man's face. Soundless. Still focusing on the argument Steve is having with the corporal down on the ground. Fishing for any useful information. His nose is working overtime trying to sniff out any familiar smell. 

___

Steve isn't stupid. And he's got powers of his own now. And his vibranium shield is fast. Like a bullet it flies through the trees, breaking the branch the spider is currently crouching on. He gets about 2.3 seconds warning to jump before his ground disappears under him and he dives for the group of soldiers, shooting a web to another tree up ahead and swinging above their heads. Landing silently in front of his friend. A muzzle covering his lower face, brown curls shifting in the wind. He stands there for a second. Secretly enjoying the shocked faces of Steve's group. 

The captain... not so much. He's shoulders sag with the sigh leaving his mouth, the worry in his eyes stretching across his features. The spider still doesn't say anything. He doesn't need to. The determination sending a stop to the argument before it even starts.

_Till the end of the line._

"Peter..."

___

Peter stays in the shadows. Keeping a look ahead from the trees. Steve doesn't argue. His team doesn't say anything. He's a good asset, and it takes them no more than ten minutes of shouting to realize that when all of them suddenly have their mouths shut with sticky, strong silk. 

Three days with marching and swinging later and they find a bunker hidden underground. Steve just nods when Peter gives him a look, saying he'll sneak in and check the area. All his hours spent lurking around New York city coming to good use. His muzzle keeping his breathing silent, fingers and toes sticking flawlessly to the roof. 

A red and black symbol prides the uniformed men shuffling around their base. Hail Hydra they say as they greet each other. Peter scoffs and wrinkles his nose in disgust. One gun and a knife per agent. Sloppy training. No real experience with violence, it seems. Good. 

Two floors down, two lefts and one right. Sixteen cells. Eight on each wall. Steel doors. Seven occupied. Two guards in each end. Send a Morse code to Steve, and get the prisoners out. 

Peter moves to the middle of the corridor before he drops down in a crouch. The guards whip their head towards him, giving him two seconds of confusion before they draw their guns. His spider sense helps him guide his way around the flying bullets, his agility and light weight gives him the upper hand, and one guard hits another in the other end, a bare foot breaks a jaw. Slim hands lock around an arm, sending the black clad agent flying, crashing in another one. A loud crash and a dent in the metal wall later and they're all down. 

He grips the lock of the nearest cell. It crumbles in his hand like paper. One. Two. Three... James... bright blue eyes stare into his own hazel ones. Fury. Relief. Love. Worry. Shaking hands reach out for the muzzle covering the young man's lower face. Teary gaze flickering from brown orbs to pink, shivering lips. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Till the end of the line."

___

The rest of the rescue team is waiting upstairs with hydra agents sprawled around them. Blood, gore and heavy breaths fill the halls. Steve in front, the wounded prisoners next. Rescue team and Peter in the far back, as they make their way back. 

A sound. Shuffling leaves. Boots on soily ground. A click. Bang. Peter whips around. Without hesitation he shoots a web, swinging towards the assassin following them. _Keep the others safe._ He jumps the other man, straddling him. His rifle is sticking to a tree. Furious eyes lock with the blank expression from the assailant. A knock to the side of the head. A kick in the gut in return. A grunt and a growl. Rolling around in dirt they punch, kick and strangle each other. 

A stinging in the side stops Peter for half a second. Wha- knife. Blood. So much blood. The sticky, crimson liquid seeps through his uniform. His hands are shaking. His ears fills with cotton. Brain shutting down. His legs give out under him, and his knees hits the mud with a splash. Black dots cover his sight and the agent standing in front of him with heaving chest and empty eyes are the last thing he sees before his brown curls brush against his forehead as he collapses.

"Peter!"


End file.
